We are in the 3rd set up 5-1. I'm at the line ready to serve I call the score 5-1 and just as I begin my toss one of the other guys calls out 5-2 so I stop, start to correct him then see him start to laugh just "psyching" me he says - ha ha.

Next point again as I begin to serve the other guy calls "time" - he suddenly needs to get his visor. Now I know they are working me and I'm p*ssed.

Third point as I'm about to put away an easy overhead I get the "late" out call on my 2nd serve. Well now they got me. I'm really p*ssed. We get into an argument over the score and that's it for me. It will get ugly so I grab my bag and say see ya.

So are these "tactics" legitimate" mental warfare" as Brad Gilbert would say in Winning Ugly or is it cheating. Or is it just "unsportsman" like? Does it matter if its a "friendly" weekend game as this was or are the rules different in a tournament?

What do you do to deal with "gamesmanship" or on the other hand do you employ it in your game?

Cloudbuster

09-13-2004, 11:05 PM

Hmm, usually something like that doesn't happen when I play. I don't really get angry that easily or anything. Since you were up 5-1, I would have just beat him a quick one and left.

Camilio Pascual

09-14-2004, 05:11 AM

We are in the 3rd set up 5-1. I'm at the line ready to serve I call the score 5-1 and just as I begin my toss one of the other guys calls out 5-2 so I stop, start to correct him then see him start to laugh just "psyching" me he says - ha ha.

This is where you call a deliberate hindrance and claim the point. Let him get into a semantics argument about whether the ball toss was moving towards his court, it was.

Next point again as I begin to serve the other guy calls "time" - he suddenly needs to get his visor. Now I know they are working me and I'm p*ssed.

He has no authority to call time unless it is a Medical time out. Refuse it and serve. If they object, refer to #29, Receiver readiness.

Third point as I'm about to put away an easy overhead I get the "late" out call on my 2nd serve. Well now they got me. I'm really p*ssed. We get into an argument over the score and that's it for me. It will get ugly so I grab my bag and say see ya.

Since the ball was returned and you are set up to hit an easy overhead (a weak sitter), the point continues as explained in #12 in The Code. Also look at #18 concerning the 2 chance option.

So are these "tactics" legitimate" mental warfare" as Brad Gilbert would say in Winning Ugly or is it cheating. Or is it just "unsportsman" like? Does it matter if its a "friendly" weekend game as this was or are the rules different in a tournament?

What do you do to deal with "gamesmanship" or on the other hand do you employ it in your game?

They were out and out cheating. Learn the rules and the Code, skilled cheaters know the rules better than most.

Rickson

09-14-2004, 07:14 AM

The returning side can not distract the server or they lose the point. According to your post, trouble, you should have gotten 2 quick points, 1 for each call during your service motion. One idiot I always beat did something so stupid, I wanted to smack him; he made a fart sound with his tongue as I served to my opponent causing me to net my serve. The idiot was just sitting on the sideline cheering my opponent on, but the fart noise took it too far. I told him to shut his hole and I had to second serve because the distraction wasn't the receiver's fault, but as you can see, a rude distraction can cause you to miss your serve, so an intentional yell, fart sound, anything by the receving side while you're serving is an automatic point for you and your partner.

ladiator

09-19-2004, 03:35 PM

That's strictly unsportsmanlike conduct. To a lower degree, I had this happen to me. I got ****ed and then double-faulted the next two points. I was up 5-3 at the time.

First act of unsportsmanlike conduct and I let it go. Second offense, I argue. Third offense, I hit a ball short, draw my opponent to net and then try to hit him. Turnabout is fairplay...

Baseline Basher

09-20-2004, 08:26 PM

I don't take any crap. If my opponent is being unsportsmanlike by way of distracting me or my partner, I consider that cheating, and I don't like cheaters. I will call a let, put my racquet on the court, and get a judge.
If this is just a pick-up game and it isn't funny, maybe you need a new hitting partner.

ladiator

09-20-2004, 11:32 PM

If it's not a hitting partner or an actual tournament, but rather a ladder match, what course of action would you take? No tournament referee or lines judge in sight...